When to choose LCL and when a full container
- Shared container (LCL). Your goods travel in a container with the goods of other importers. We receive them in our warehouse and ship them from Ningbo. LCL is charged per CBM, with a minimum of 1 CBM.
- Full container (FCL). The container carries only your goods and is paid for in full, however much is loaded in it. It leaves from the Chinese port nearest the supplier, anywhere in China.
There is no fixed CBM switch point. For each shipment we compare the prices of the two options, by its volume, its weight and the type of goods.
How a shared container is charged
The charge follows the volume, whatever the weight. Charging per kilogram applies to air freight.
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| Shipment | Volume | Weight | Charged as |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plush toys | 6 CBM | 900 kg | 6 CBM |
| Office supplies | 4 CBM | 1,800 kg | 4 CBM |
| Metal parts | 2 CBM | 3,500 kg | 2 CBM |
| Samples | 0.3 CBM | 40 kg | 1 CBM (minimum) |
The goods are received and grouped in a warehouse at origin, each importer receives a house bill of lading (House B/L), and on arrival the container is unloaded and the shipments are separated. The charges of both warehouses, the documents and the delivery are therefore added to the sea freight, and our quote states what is included. The CBM calculator works out the volume.
What a cubic metre costs in a full container
A container is paid for in full, so the cost per cubic metre depends on how full it is. Filled to its practical load, it costs considerably less per cubic metre than when it is half empty. The charges made per container (the port, the truck to your warehouse and the documents) are the same in both cases.
A 20' takes about 30 CBM of cartons in practice, a 40' HQ about 70 CBM and a 45' HQ about 75 CBM. The internal volume according to Maersk is 33, 76 and 85 m³, and the actual load depends on the carton sizes and the loading plan.
With heavy goods such as ceramic tiles, metal parts and liquids, the weight limit is reached before the space is filled. The maximum payload of a Maersk 20' is 28,200 kg, and road weight limits on the inland leg can be lower.
How much of a container 20 CBM takes up
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| Container | Practical load | Share taken up by 20 CBM |
|---|---|---|
| 20' | about 30 CBM | about 67% |
| 40' HQ | about 70 CBM | about 29% |
| 45' HQ | about 75 CBM | about 27% |
The table shows only the space taken up. Weight, the type of goods and the carton layout matter for the choice as well.
Differences in risk and time
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| Factor | Shared container | Full container |
|---|---|---|
| Loading and unloading | Several times: origin warehouse, container, destination warehouse | Loaded once and unloaded once |
| Risk of damage | Higher, because the cartons are handled more often | Lower |
| Time | A few days longer: waiting for the container to fill, separation on arrival | Direct |
| Other importers' goods in the same container | If another shipment has a problem at customs, the whole container can be held | Only your goods |
| Check before loading | In our warehouse | In our warehouse or at the factory, anywhere in China |
With fragile goods (glass, ceramics, decorations) and goods of high value, less handling means a lower risk of damage. That sometimes justifies a full container even when the difference in total cost is small.
Several suppliers, one container
Many importers buy from several suppliers. A toys wholesaler buying in Yiwu usually deals with several shops in the market and with factories. An office supplies chain we work with, with more than 30 shops and more than 10 containers a year, imports its goods in full containers. Each order alone is too small for a container, but together they fill one.
Our strongest operational presence is in Yiwu. In our own warehouses in Yiwu and Ningbo, we:
- receive the goods from each supplier separately,
- count the cartons and compare them with the packing list,
- check the goods and send you a photo and video report,
- load one container, with one bill of lading that we issue.
When we collect goods from five suppliers, you receive one shipment, with one bill of lading, one unloading and one declaration. We do not carry out customs clearance. A forwarder handles clearance, duty and VAT, your own or one we recommend. If a supplier is late, we tell you while the goods are still in China. More about the services: LCL consolidation and quality control in China.
Example: a stationery order from six suppliers
A bookshop in Skopje buys a back-to-school range from six suppliers in Yiwu's District 3: 4, 3, 6, 2, 5 and 4 CBM, in total 24 CBM and about 5,500 kg.
Option A: six separate LCL shipments. Six sets of charges per shipment for documents and destination handling, six declarations and six deliveries, each on its own schedule.
Option B: one consolidated LCL shipment through our warehouse. One shipment of 24 CBM, with the charges per shipment paid once, one bill of lading and one declaration.
Option C: a full container. The 24 CBM take up about 80% of the practical load of a 20' (about 30 CBM), with room for about 6 CBM more, or about 34% of a 40' HQ (about 70 CBM).
If one supplier is late, there are two options: waiting, or shipping the goods that are ready and sending the rest later. Some importers run a full container on a regular schedule for their main lines and add LCL shipments for new products or late suppliers.
What we confirm with you before the decision
Before the decision, we confirm with you the total volume, the gross weight and the type of goods, the packing of fragile goods, the number of suppliers and the delivery deadline. Quotes can be compared when they cover the same services, the same route and the same place of delivery: the port, the customs warehouse or your warehouse.
Prices are explained in the guide how much a container from China costs, and the services on the pages container shipping from China and stationery and office supplies from China. The landed cost calculator works out the total cost.
Send us your list of suppliers
Tell us how many suppliers you have, where they are and roughly how many cubic metres each one has. You will receive a quote for a shared container and for a full container, with each charge listed separately, so that you can compare the totals. Request a quote.
